She may be a freshman, but NormalCommunity West High School student Khadairis “Kae” Mason-Allison is already aworld traveler in a very real sense. The summer before she was in eighth grade,she applied to the Bloomington-Normal Sister Cities Committee to be part of ajunior high exchange program where students would travel for a two-week trip tothe Twin Cities’ Sister City of Asahikawa, Japan.

She got that chance and said sheenjoyed that trip, being able to represent her local community. This July, shewill be returning to Asahikawa for a 10-month span, to study at one of theirhigh schools.

Mason-Allison has been studyingJapanese for a long time by her years. She began teaching herself the languagewhen she was in sixth grade using comic books written in Japanese called MangaBooks.

Her future aspirations include attendingSouthern Illinois University, where they have an exchange program with Japan.Mason-Allison hopes to be able to get to The Land Of The Rising Sun while incollege, too.

Kylie B. Eagles will be joining Mason-Allisonon the trip as the other student selected to participate in the exchangeprogram. Like Mason-Allison, Eagles is currently a Normal West freshman.

“I found out about this program froma sign at school,” Eagles said. “I went through the application process and gotan interview.”

Eagles has never traveled to Japanbefore, she said. But her family has a friend who is now living in China who alsohad some familiarity with Japanese culture, as well. Eagles and her familylearned additional information about Japan from their friend about what toexpect once she arrives there.

Eagles’ research has taught her thathigh school students in Japan wear school uniforms, and that, much as here,kids join a number of after-school activities. Eagles’ college plans includebeing able to major in Creative Writing and Musical Performance.

In Japan, high school runs fromgrades 10 through 12. Up until the mid-1990’s, so did the high school systemrun by Unit 5. In Japan, grades 7-9 are considered junior high level.

Rich Strle is the chairman of theSister Cities Committee, which screened four applicants, includingMason-Allison and Eagles for this next trip. “They are going to do a terrificjob, and I think they are two really good candidates,” Strle said of the newlyappointed representatives.

Their mission is to be goodambassadors from Bloomington-Normal,” Strle said of the purpose for the tripfor the young women. “…To go over there and try to learn Japanese, and to getalong in the culture.” The girls will receive some advance information andtraining prior to the trip.

“When they come back 10 months fromnow, they will come back here and enlighten other high school students toconsider doing the same thing,” Strle said.

While Mason-Allison and Eagles arepreparing for their journey, Miho Kunugiyawa, a senior from Asahikawa, iscompleting her 10-month stay in the Twin Cities, having been a student atBloomington High School. She has been staying with local residents Dwight andCindy Hansen. When she gets home to Japan, Kunugiyawa will have a few moreclasses to complete before her graduation.

“School here is so much different,” Kunugiyawasaid of being in an American school. She said American kids are “a little moreopen” with one another, unlike in her homeland.

As for after-school activities sheinvolved herself in here, Kunugiyawa said the one she enjoyed the most wasbeing part of BHS’ Chorus, and while outside of school just being able “to goshopping or to movies.”

From what I was hearing from thesegirls, Mason-Allison and Eagles are looking forward to the experience, and Kunugiyawa has enjoyed her time at BHS. From whatI heard from Strle, international relations continue being celebrated.

The Sister Cities Committee will be celebratingits 50th anniversary in July.

On another subject, you might recallmy writing in this column about an event called “Competition For Cory,”held at Kingsley Junior High School’s Truman Keys Field on April 14. The eventwas organized to help raise money to help Normal Community West High seniorrunning back/defensive back Cory Ortiz and his family pay for medical expensesresulting from a season-ending injury.

An opponent’s tackle last Septemberresulted in the injury for the young man. As a result of the play, Cory had theartery in his right elbow severed. It was an injury that required emergencysurgery at the time and a total of seven surgeries to completely repair.

Because Ortiz’s folks are independent business people,they were responsible for the first $10,000 worth of medical costs before theirinsurance deductible would kick in during the calendar year 2011. The samestipulation kicked in for calendar year 2012, too. The funds raised at”Competition For Cory” were going toward earning the $20,000 totalneeded.

“Competition For Cory” was aninspired idea from Normal Community High School freshman football team coachBrian Wiltz, who with another freshman team coach, Aaron Ellison, organized afive-person flag football tournament to help raise funds to help Cory and hisfamily.

Wiltz reported to me that the eventwas a success, raising nearly $7,500. There were 115 elementary and junior highschool kids who turned out for the event, making up 20 teams. Through the coaches’ efforts, theevent had 14 sponsors, including Hudson Womens Club, Team 1st,The Great Display Co., Hudson Lions Club, Normal West Booster Club, Normal WestGridiron Club, Gladiator Football, State Farm Agent Micheal Harris, State FarmRepresentative Kyle Myers, Yoder’s Gas in Carlock, and BSN Sports.

“Many of the West football coachesserved as refs and many of the varsity players volunteer throughout the day,”Wiltz reported to me in an email.The kids played in a steady drizzle we had most of that day, Wiltz wrote,adding, “Even with the rain, everybody had great attitudes and had agreat time playing in the mud. Cory and his family were there all day andvery appreciative of the efforts that went into making it a success.”

NORMAL – When the 2012-2013 school year opens in August, elementary school students in Normal-based Unit 5 School District can count on starting their day a little later than they have in the past, as well as being dismissed just that much later than in previous years.

School Board members voted unanimously to push back the start and end time of the secondary school day to help correct problems the district has had recently in getting students to school in the morning. The elementary school day will run from 8:45a.m.-3:30p.m., beginning this August.

In 2005, the district developed a three-tier solution for getting buses to schools in around 20 minutes. It was determined that additional time was needed in-between getting each tier of students – elementary, junior high, and high school – to class on time. To do that, it was determined more time was needed. By 2009, Unit 5 formed a committee to study the correlation between busing and start times.

During this school year, the district has been wrestling with a timing problem related to bus scheduling. Part of that problem was that elementary school students have a school day lasting 6 hours and 45 minutes, while junior high students spend 7 hours and 45 minutes in class.

The district discovered the half-hour difference in those periods makes transporting students difficult. As a result, Unit 5 has had as many as 27 buses that were late to the elementary schools – a situation that impacted 1,600 students.

The district tried a change in pick up and delivery times during both of the high school homecomings: District officials allotted 30 minutes in-between the end times for elementary students and junior high students. What resulted was a smooth transition between the groups getting home, and no reports of buses being late. As a result, District officials recommended the change be made permanent.

There will be no changes in the start and end times for the district’s two high schools or four junior high schools. Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School will still have hours of 7:15a.m.-2:30p.m., while the four junior high schools – Evans, Kingsley, Chiddix, and Parkside – will continue their student hours of 7:45a.m.-3p.m.

“I think our transportation department was pretty frank with us” about this issue, explained District Superintendent Dr. Gary Niehaus. He said 27 late buses impacts roughly 1,000 students. “It also has issues with extra-curricular activities. This is an adjustment we needed to make this work.”

But not everyone who has been consulted about the change is comfortable, Niehaus said. He said the district has received some “push-back” from day care operators about the change. As a result, he explained, parents of those children are being allowed to bring the kids to school 15-20 minutes before the school day begins.

Board Member Mark Pritchett said there is a perception among some in the community that the shift in hours is for a reason other than late buses. He did not elaborate what he was referring to. Pritchett stressed there was no other reason, other than late buses, for the change.

Board Member Jay Reece added that, at the other end of the age spectrum, high school students are having early wake-up calls to hike to class, in some cases for at least a mile. “We’ve got kids walking in the dead of winter in the dark at 6a.m., and that is something we don’t want to encourage,” he said.

Online Registration Explained: Board members were given a demonstration of the district’s online registration program. Kurt Swearingen, the district’s director of elementary education gave Board members a brief tutorial on how parents will be able to register their children with some computer mouse clicks.

Elementary School parents were able to register their students online starting on May 1. Parents of junior high students will be able to register online starting on May 21, and parents of high school students will be able to register their students starting on June 8. Swearingen added the $1 convenience fee usually charged for the service is being waived from now through June 30. Parents needing assistance can get it at walk-in regisgtration, and there will be help available for parents who speak Spanish.

Budget Update: District Business Manager Erik Bush informed Board members the district has expected, has spent three-quarters of the annual budget it approved last year. He said among the expenses were the hiring of four teachers, and 17 Special Education teaching assistants which are mandated by the State.

NCHS’ “Good News”: Seven NCHS students received the opportunity to hear an internationally recognized figure speak about the necessity of advocating for human rights. Students Dayo Ajayi, Muddassir Bahri, Ragan Pierce, Deanna Qiao, Danny Splittstoesser, Ayna Bliss-Hosack, Georgia Myers and their Social Studies teacher, LaTishia Baker, attended the annual Multicultural Leadership Program Dinner recently. The students have been able to apply what they have learned, in their Social Studies classes, about the Rwandan acts of genocide that took place in 2004. The purpose of the dinner was to celebrate the graduation of MCLP participants.

They also attended the dinner so they could hear from keynote speaker Paul Rusesabagina. Rusesabagina is credited with sheltering refugees during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He has received a host of awards for his efforts, including the Wallenberg Medal from the University of Michigan, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Prize from The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. In addition, Rusesabagina’s story became the basis of the Oscar-nominated film “Hotel Rwanda.”

Locally, this MCLP promotes both community involvement and leadership competence. Program participants work with regional not for profit agencies and practice their leadership skills. Funding for the tickets, totalling $416, for Baker and her students to attend the event were provided through State Farm’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiative and the Town of Normal.

NCHS junior Alanna Santiago was honored for having earned recognition for winning an annual contest co-sponsored by the Illinois Department of Transportation Office of Sustainable Practices. Every year, the agency sponsors a design contest for students in which the students design a rain barrel, giving the design a conservation theme to help promote recycling. IDOT selects from winners that are given a rain barrel to decorate and use at the winner’s school.

A total of 45 creative designs for rain barrels have been chosen from participating Illinois schools in an effort to promote water recycling. This year, Santiago created a design that was one of those selected by IDOT. Prior to the end of this school year, the rain barrel will be received and painted. Alanna is the daughter of Joseph and Melissa Santiago. Alanna’s design theme was selected based on the quality of her work related to the theme of recycling and conserving natural resources.

The goal is for the students in the Agriculture Department, the Student Support Program, and the work program at NCHS is to use the collected rain to water the plants being raised in the school’s greenhouse. The plants were made possible through a grant received from Beyond the Box, part of the Beyond The Books Foundation. According to IDOT, “This annual contest is an excellent opportunity for science, agriculture, and art classes to participate in a program that enhances lesson plans regarding the importance of sustainability and the environment while encouraging students to get their creativity flowing.”

agriculture teacher, were honored for their having jointly submitted a request for and received the Beyond the Box grant which was worth $10, 000. The focus of

the grant proposal was two-fold. First, the project was to update the NCHS greenhouse and second, to provide additional learning opportunities for students enrolled in the Student

Support Program classes. An academic component of SSP is to “allow students to develop basic vocational attitudes and skills in an actual job environment,” according to the instructors who operate it.

The grant provided NCHS’ staff an opportunity to expand their vocational lessons to the green house. Dr. Enderlin facilitated installation of electrical outlets and getting the

environmental controls operating. Students enrolled in the program assisted with cleaning up and making repairs to the greenhouse. While in this program, students are also learning to care for plants and are in involved in the preparation of a plant sale. Monies from the plant sale will be

used to purchase additional plants and materials for the green house. Students who work in the greenhouse also receive payment for their work. Each member of the Board, Dr. Niehaus, and other staff sitting around the Board table received a plant from the plant sale at the meeting.

NORMAL – The last of the sticking points over curbside recycling –specifically how often the recycling truck would pick up materials and how muchmore money Normal residents would pay for the service – were resolved at aspecial Normal Town Council session on Monday, April 23 at Normal City Hall.

Council members voted by a 5-2 voteto have recycling collected on a weekly basis as opposed to bi-weekly. Theprogram will begin on July 9. As a result of opting for weekly service,residents will see a $2 increase in their garbage fee charged by the Town, from$10 to $12, effective July 15. Approving the go-ahead for weekly pick-up will resultin the Town hiring one additional employee to handle the assignment, as well asthe use of an additional truck.

The Town has already purchased thetruck, having received Council approval for the purchase at the governing body’sApril 16 meeting. During that session, Council members also unanimously passed a motion related to curbside recyclingwhen they approved waiving the formal bidding process and elected to accept aquote from Charlotte, N. C.-based SSI Schaefer for the purchase of wheeled recyclingcarts at a total estimated cost of $208,362.

On Monday, Mayor Chris Koos, joinedby Council members Adam Nielsen, Cheryl Gaines, Jason Chambers, and Chuck Scottvoted in favor of the new venture having a weekly pick-up schedule. Councilmembers Sonja Reece and Jeff Fritzen voted in favor of bi-weekly pick-up.

Since January, the Council has dealtwith the subject at least on a monthly basis during regular meetings, receivingpublic input at one point during one session. In addition, Council members saidthey had received email and phone calls from those residents both in favor andopposed to the idea of the Town starting a curbside recycling operation.

Koos said the $2 fee “is related tohow often collection would take place.” Doing collection weekly would necessitateadditional costs, he added.

“We had many, many, many, manydiscussions about this,” Gaines said. “We all agreed it was in the bestinterest to have weekly collection.

Reece countered, saying, “It wouldbe difficult to keep track of which week was your week” if the program weremade weekly. She said “it would be prudent” to discuss how often the programshould be run.

“The people who have come to me areserious recyclers,” Reece added.

Sign up toparticipate in the Curbside Recycling program began formally on April 16. Theprogram is slated to begin on July 9. The deadline for signing up for andpurchase a recycling cart is Friday, May 25. From now through that deadlinedate, citizenscan pay half price — $30 versus $60 – to claim a cart. Those who already havetwo carts must register to get a free recycling decal for the recycling cart.

NORMAL–Shawn Thompson, Pekin, believes he qualifies as a survivor. He has withstoodlengthy unemployment and being homeless. He said he considers himself asurvivor. Thompson, 40, said he wants to prove – once and for all, to himselfand others he knows – that he deserves that moniker.

Thompson was among between 250-300people who stood in a block-long line Saturday, along Normal’s North MainStreet, to sign up for auditions for the CBS-TV reality show, “Survivor.” Theauditions were held in a renovated first floor business complex, part of afive-story building. Student apartments were on the building’s upper fourfloors.

Thepremise of Survivor is to strand a group of strangers, divided into twoor more tribes, on a remote location or island, causing them to fend forthemselves to acquire food, shelter, water and other living necessities. Inaddition, Survivors compete in physical and mental challenges in order to earnrewards or immunity from elimination as the show’s progresses from week-to-week.Each episode ends in a “tribal council”, where remaining survivorscast votes to “vote off” a member of the tribe. The winner of theimmunity challenge from the previous episode cannot be eliminated, and thuscannot be voted off for that episode. The eventual winner ofthe contest wins a $1 million prize.

Employeesof Peoria CBS affiliate WMBD-TV held auditions for the reality show, givingevery person who registered the chance to make a two-minute audition tape whichthe station would string into one tape and send to the network aiding it tocast for a future season of the series.

“I’ve always had fun doing thingsthat they do similar to what they do on Survivor,” said Thompson, An employeeof Cleaning Casting Resources, Peoria, that processes engine blocks forCaterpillar. “I’ve always been a survivalist-type. Drop me in the middle of thewoods and I could live there forever. Hunt, fish….I don’t need a tent. I canmake my own way.”

“My biggest reason for doing it is to prove tomyself that I can still do this stuff (at my age),” Thompson said. “I’m notoutdated goods. I still have the ability to do all the challenges, do all therunning, interact with people and hopefully, inevitably, come out on top.”

“I think it would be fun,” saidanother potential contestant, Bryan Pfahl, 44, Pekin, who works in the shippingdivision of Caterpillar. “I’m a competitive person and I think I would enjoythe experience.

“Plus there’s the money,” Pfahl saidrather wryly. He said his girlfriend had been encouraging him to send inaudition tape even before finding out the auditions would be here. “It’s only40 minutes away. How could I not come here?”

Chad Adams, 34, East Peoria, worksfor an insect extermination company and has never seen the show, but his wife, Tera,has. The pair were also part of the day’s first shift of potential contestants.While Chad has never seen the program, his wife has been watching and has been encouraging himto audition since finding out they were coming to town.

“He comes home with some crazy storyevery day, and I think he’s so adaptable that that’s why I have been tellinghim he should try out,” Tera Adams said. For his part, Chad jokes that for allthe time he spends in crawl spaces, he has yet to find a million dollars in one.

Dave Scott, a 1986 graduate of PekinCommunity High School, works for WMBD-TV Channel 31 as a promotionscoordinator, and was helping register and prepare the contestants for theirauditions. He explained those in line needed to download waivers from thestation’s website prior coming to the audition. From there, the prospectivecontestants do a two-minute audition. That audition is then sent to the show’sproducers for consideration as contestants.

If show producers are interested ina one of those who auditioned as a contestant, they contact the station formore information about getting in touch with the prospective contestant, Scottexplained.

Scottdoes this work not only for reality shows aired on WMBD-TV, for also for itssister station, Fox affiliate WYZZ-TV Channel 43.

Neither Thompson, Pfahl, or ChadAdams are concerned about, if they get onto the show, having the moniker “realitystar” tacked ahead of their names, potentially for the rest of their lives.

NORMAL – Although curbside recycling went from suggested idea to debated subject to reality with the vote by Normal Town Council members earlier this month, how much those who use the service – or opt not to – should pay for it, and how often it should be done, was up for discussion as the governing body met at Normal City Hall Monday.

Council members, by a 6-0 vote, approved most portions of an ordinance that would establish how the curbside recycling program would function. Council member Adam Nielsen was not at Monday’s session.

Among the portions agreed to were: When the program would begin; Mandates the use of the receptacles citizens would purchase from the Town for recycling purposes; Setting Monday, July 9 as the day the program would begin; Authorizes that drop-off self-service refuse and recycling programs be established; and requires all receptacle containers be cleaned and rinsed.

But two presumably key parts of the program were removed from the ordinance before it was passed. They were an establishment of how much to charge residents for the program; and how often should residents expect curbside materials be collected. Council members will tackle those matters at their next regular meeting on May 7.

Answering a question from Council member Cheryl Gaines, City Manager Mark Peterson said collecting the refuse on a bi-weekly basis would save the Town the use of one driver and one truck, thus preventing the Town to need to save money to buy a truck sooner than it might if collection were done on a weekly basis. Peterson confirmed for Gaines that the truck to be used for curbside recycling had been ordered earlier this month.

At their April 2 meeting, Council members approved the cost of the program by increasing residents’ monthly garbage fee, to $12 from the current $10. Council member Sonja Reece said “it seemed prudent” to her to do the collecting on a bi-weekly basis, thus preventing the prospect of raising the costs further.

Council member Chuck Scott said he has had conversations with citizens who both do and don’t regularly fill their recyclable containers. “When and until packaging changes, doing recycling weekly is needed,” he said. He said citizens have concerns about the prospect of increased operating expenses. He said the fee may be $2 now, but some residents worry about it jumping by a few more dollars in the future.

Council member Jeff Fritzen said that one option would be that those who do want curbside recycling should pay more while those not wishing to participate not be charged.

Sign up to participate in the Curbside Recycling program began formally on Monday. The program is slated to begin on July 9. Peterson gave Council members some early results of the sign-up’s first day, explaining that, as of 5p.m. Monday, 184 people had registered to participate in the program already. Of that number, 120 signed up online, 22 signed up over-the-counter at Normal City Hall, and another 42 called-in to begin their participation. The deadline for signing up for and purchase a recycling cart is Friday, May 25. From now through that deadline date, citizens can pay half price — $30 versus $60 – to claim a cart. Those who already have two carts must register to get a free recycling decal for the recycling cart.

Council members also unanimously passed a motion related to curbside recycling when they approved a motion waiving the formal bidding process and elected to accept a quote from Charlotte, N. C.-based SSI Schaefer for the purchase of wheeled recycling carts at a total estimated cost of $208,362.

Answering a question from Council member Sonja Reece, Peterson said the magnetic decals that will be affixed to a participating resident’s 65- or 95-gallon container for the curbside recycling are not meant to be used interchangeably on the resident’s regular garbage container.

Transportation Improvement Feasibility Study Overview Delivered: Council members heard a synopsis of results regarding an 80-page feasibility study by Vernon Hills, Ill.-based Gewalt Hamilton Associates. Portions of the report included information obtained from residents of Normal and Bloomington, members of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, and a group interested in expanding routes throughout the community for both bike enthusiasts and pedestrians.

Bill Grieve, senior transport engineer, and Tim Doran, director of transportation planning for Gewalt Hamilton, told Council members that for the Town to increase the number of bike lanes within the community will require a study to be done by Illinois Department of Transportation. Funding for that study, Grieve said, would be something the Town can look for.

Provided some changes are made to Main Street, that artery of the community could be made accessible to pedestrians and cycling fans, just as it is to motorists, the pair explained.

There were 1,000 people involved in one way or another with the research Gewalt Hamilton did for this study, Grieve said. He said there were 705 on-line surveys completed, as well as some open house discussions attended by 100 people.

“U.S. 51 is a very important thoroughfare,” Grieve said. “It’s unique.” He said similar things about both Route 9 and Interstate 55. “We wanted to make sure this study took into account all those personalities,” Grieve said. He added that the area’s main veins have a “number of possibilities for adapting it for motorists and non-motorists to co-exist.”

Doran added the group confined itself to looking only at changes that would be possible using existing right-of-way.

As for concrete suggestions concerning various well-known streets, Grieve points out a couple suggestions from the study: Concerning I-55, it was suggested adding bike lanes on I-55 on both sides from Raab Rd.; At the Main Street-College Ave. intersection, it was suggested optimizing the south bound lane; and from College Ave. to Division St., it was suggested that the travel lanes be narrowed.

The complete feasibility study can be found on the Town’s website: www.normal.org.

In addition to the reappointments, Sarah K. Kathro and Derek McPherson were appointed to fill vacant positions on the Uptown Design Review Commission. Kathro is an interior design intern with Bloomington-based The Farnsworth Group. She has a Master’s degree in Applied Science and Technology from Illinois State University, and is a member of the International Interior Designers Association and the Illinois Interior Design Coalition.

McPherson has a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies from Southern Illinois University. He worked for two local architectural firms before beginning his own company, McPherson Architects in Normal in 2008.

 Approval of Town of Normal Expenditures for Payment as of April 11, 2012

 A motion to waive the formal bidding procedure and authorize the purchase of two tornado outdoor warning sirens.

 A motion to waive the formal bidding procedure and purchase two 4X4 one ton trucks (chassis and body) from Bloomington-based Dennison Ford at a Cost of $50,826 net each and a combined net cost of $101,652.

 A motion to waive the formal bidding procedure and purchase a 2012 Pick Up Truck from Dennison Ford in the net amount of $22,075.

 A motion to waive the formal bidding procedure and purchase a 2012 Pick Up Truck from Dennison Ford in the net amount of $13,275.

 A motion to waive the formal bidding procedure and purchase a 4X4 One Ton dump truck (chassis and body) from Dennison Ford at a cost of $35,635.

 A motion to waive the formal bidding process and accept proposals for the purchase of seating for Uptown Station.

 A motion to award a Professional Services Contract to Springfield, IL-based Anderson Electric in the amount of $29,703 for surge protection at lift stations.

 A resolution authorizing the execution of a contract with Chenoa, IL-based Union Roofing for the replacement of the Ironwood Golf Course Clubhouse roof in the amount of $38,000.